‘You Have to Be Flexible in an Agency Job’

From sustainability issues to crisis management: Svenja Daniel and her team advise companies and support them in developing communication strategies. In addition to creativity, her job requires above all strategic thinking – and an eye for the big picture.

Factory premises: What does a director of strategy actually do?

Svenja Daniel: I work in the strategy team at fischerAppelt. My focus is on the development of communication strategies. No two jobs are the same. We advise on topics such as future strategy, crisis management, change communication and sustainability communication. Our clients are also very diverse. For example, I currently work for companies in the mobility, finance, retail and media sectors. It’s super exciting because we deal with future issues on a daily basis. As director, I make sure that we are as good as possible at what we do. I manage a team of consultants, take care of new business and keep an eye on the figures.

What experience or talents should you have for the job?

In strategy consulting, it’s an advantage if you think strategically. This may sound banal, but if you are someone who always has the big picture in mind and has the talent to make reality appear less complex, you already have a lot to offer. If you also enjoy communication and creativity, then you’ve come to the right place.

What appeals to you about your job?

The variety of tasks, working in a team, the opportunity to gain insight into so many companies and institutions. I also like the feeling of being able to support others in solving problems and tackling challenges.

Younger colleagues want above all to be challenged and to realize their full potential in their job.

- Svenja Daniel

What are the biggest challenges in your job?

Certainly, the issue of predictability is a challenge. I originally come from print journalism where there was a fixed editorial deadline every month, around which the working day was organized. In an agency job, you must be much more flexible.

What has been your biggest flop on the job so far, and what have you learnt from it?

I wouldn’t call it a flop, but a realization. I work with a lot of younger colleagues. They are often said to be volatile and lack stamina. My realization is different: Above all, they want to be challenged and realize their full potential on the job. I take that very much to heart.

Svenja Daniel

… is director strategist at the communications agency fischerAppelt. Previously, she was a press spokesperson in the communications team of the ARD presidency.

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